My Master
by Evangelion Xgouki
Summary: Sequel to 'And She Smiles'.  The reflections on one Takamachi Nanoha by a close, and dear friend. [NxF]


Disclaimer: I do not own Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha.

_I can still recall that day all those years ago when I first met her. She was young and held a child-like innocence that never seemed to fade as she aged. When we first ran across each other she had no knowledge of inter-dimensional travel or magic, having long passed the age of believing in such things on her planet. And yet, in that brief encounter with the active Jewel Seed she almost easily accepted that magic existed and that she had the ability to call upon it. I can still recall that first encounter; that first time we fought together. And I can still recall the first time she said that phrase which has become all too familiar in our relationship over the years:_

"_Raising Heart, Set UP!"_

_To think that it all began with a random encounter on a random Non-Administered Planet in a random city. And yet it did happen and one Takamachi Nanoha from the planet Earth would become my Master for years to come. Even though she knew nothing or magic, she had the potential within her. That was how Yuuno, my former Master, found her and then bestowed me to her when he was too injured to collect the scattered Jewel Seeds. I can remember when she was forced to quickly come up with her Barrier Jacket and my Device form. It would be later that I would come to understand that she had based her Barrier Jacket off her current school uniform in the small time frame she had and my form from those…what did she call it, 'magical girl' shows she used to watch. As time went on, she made very few modifications to her Barrier Jacket design despite its rushed creation. The only major change was to add the mini-skirt to her new Aggressive Mode in her late teens, saying that she wanted her main mode to be more stylish. Her other modes, especially the higher power ones, would keep her original design. When asked about it, she had simply replied:_

"_Oh, it reminds me of home."_

_We would encounter many enemies and allies over the years. Some of those enemies would eventually become our allies. The Wolkenritters and their mistress were like that. After being with my Master for those few short months, it was as if we could overcome anything. As my former master had said, she did show great potential in the magical arts and created an impressive array of spells on her own. At least, until we encountered the Wolkenritters. That was the first time I had failed to protect my Master. For one person to inflict so much magical and physical damage to my Master and I was unimaginable at that time. And yet I can remember struggling to keep the defensive barriers up, Graf Eisen almost completely destroying me. Even in that state, my Master wouldn't give up; I wouldn't give up. If Fate and Yuuno had not arrived when they did…I don't want to contemplate what could have happened. Although still weak, my master wanted to continue fighting and protect her friends. I knew that a Starlight Breaker would worsen the already heavy damage to my frame, but I believed. I believed in my Master._

_After that initial encounter, I required heavy maintenance to all my systems. I was deeply thankful to those in the TSAB for restoring me, but…I wasn't satisfied. If, no when, we encountered them again I knew that I wouldn't be able to match their power in my current state. I needed a way to bring myself up to their level so I could protect my Master and so she could protect those she cared about. It was an easy decision to decide to get the CVK-792-compatible system installed into me. Getting the TSAB technicians to agree to actually install it, on the other hand, took a little creative…persuasion. They even gave me a new name to commemorate my 'rebirth': Raising Heart Excelion (although my Master still calls me Raising Heart). When my Master activated me for the first time after the upgrade and ordered me to load that first cartridge, I could feel the new power being injected into my system. I knew then that I could protect her again and help her protect those that she held dear._

_Not all the enemies we encountered would become our allies (I believed a rumor around the TSAB had dubbed this 'befriending'). However, there was one special case. She would be our first rival and then eventually…much more to my Master. Fate Testarossa, the 'pretty girl with sad eyes' as my Master called her, was a very talented young mage we encountered on Earth. We would clash constantly while searching for the Jewel Seeds until it came down to a one-on-one match, winner take all. Although not having years of training like Fate my Master gave it her all, as did I, and we would come out on top after using her new spell, Starlight Breaker. It was at that point, however, that I began to worry about my Master. She was still inexperienced and young and Starlight Breaker was an intensive spell to use. But with the attack on the Garden of Time and the Book of Darkness Incident, we were soon preoccupied with other things and I placed it aside for a later discussion. Later would come too late._

_It would be the second time that I would be unable to protect my Master. In a way I blame myself for it happening. If I had only mentioned my concerns over the toll of the magical stresses on her body it might have never happened. To be there and not able to do anything as my Master almost died was unbearable. Then to watch her struggle to recover what some doctors said was lost was even harder and it could have all been avoided if I had spoken up about my concerns. And yet, it was almost as if my Master knew how I felt. She would talk with me at night in the hospital room and tell me that it wasn't my all my fault. I remember her joking in saying that she probably would have done what she did anyway, even if I had expressed my concerns. Somehow, coming from her it gave me relief and I vowed to always be there to protect her and give her my all, like she had done so many times and continued to do._

_Being the stubborn girl that she was, my Master fully recovered and was soon walking, laughing, and using magic once again. Everyone was filled with joy, especially Fate (whom I heard was in distress the entire time over my Master's condition from Bardiche). The pair was very close friends ever since the end of the Precia Incident. Their friendship continued to mature over the years and they remained very close. After the Jail __Scaglietti/Cradle Incident, the pair would adopt the little girl named Vivio. Even after the disbanding of RF6, they opted to continue living together to raise the child (although I did not like the times when my Master would dangle me in my inactive mode to entertain her…). I, and possibly many others, believe that this was probably the catalyst that would 'tie the knot' between the pair. I knew how deeply they cared for each other, but my Master was afraid of what would happen if they went to the next step (as was Fate, according to Bardiche). However, it did finally happen and the two were married shortly after. This was probably the happiest I had ever seen my Master in a long time. I was very happy for her, but we both knew what was to come._

_After the incident all those years ago, I made it a point to constantly monitor my Master's condition to make sure that it wouldn't happen again. The toll on her body, especially with the addition of the Blaster System, gave me concern. I would bring it up with her constantly, but she would only smile and reassure me that she would be okay. It would soon get to a point when we both knew that it wouldn't be just 'okay.' Yet she continued to smile and push herself, even making me promise not to say a word about it to anyone. Sometimes I still wonder why I made that promise with my Master. Every time it comes down to the same answer: because I trust her._

_Soon the damage became too much and she collapsed. The doctors at the hospital diagnosed what we both knew already, that she was dying. Those nights in the hospital were hard, not knowing when her time would time. She kept me around her neck the entire time, never taking me off until that one evening…_

"I love you."

"I love you, too Nanoha."

The pair continued to smile as she gazed into each other eyes. Nanoha was the first to break contact as she brings her hands to her neck.

"Fate-chan…I need you to do me one more favor."

She nods slowly, not knowing what her lover would ask of her. Burgundy eyes watched carefully as the woman before her slowly slipped the simple rope and red orb from around her neck and placed it in her hands. She offers no resistance as her fingers are gently closed around the Intelligent Device.

"I…want you to take good care of her for me, okay? She knows what to do when the time comes."

Fate stares at the red orb resting in her palm before nodding.

"Thank you," she says with her warm smile.

_I will never forget my Master, Takamachi Nanoha, the woman who gave others a second chance…_

…_the woman who struggled against all odds_

…_the woman who believed in me and whom I believed in_

…_the woman who would puff out her cheeks every time she got angry_

…_the woman who would always laugh with her unique "Nyahaha…"_

…_the woman who always smiled._

_Even though she's not there to call out my name anymore, she continues to live on within me and all those lives that she touched. As for me, my Master had told me her wish for me before she had joined the stars…_

A young woman stands a top a building somewhere in the main city of Mid-Childa. An all too familiar red orb hangs from her neck as she gazes outwards at another unit engaged below.

"It looks like they need our help, Raising Heart."

_**Alright.**_

She takes a deep breath after receiving confirmation from HQ to assist the unit below them.

"Raising Heart, Set UP!"

A sphere of pink magic surrounds the young woman, her Barrier Jacket replacing her TSAB uniform within. The red orb around her neck expands and locks into place in the yellow crescent fixture atop a pink and white staff with a yellow cartridge magazine.

_**Accel Fin.**_

Small, pink magical wings materialize on her feet, allowing her to take off into the sky and fly down to assist the Bureau mages below. She opens up a communication channel to relay her information to HQ.

"Takamachi Vivio, heading out!"

Vivio takes a moment to look at the Intelligent Device gripped in her hand, a small smiling forming on her lips, "Let's do this, Raising Heart."

_**Alright, my Master. **_


End file.
